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We must have an awareness of something in order to change it. It’s just that simple. We can’t create shifts in our lives if we spend most of our time in the dark.
Enter: mindfulness. The ‘M’ word is taking over the world, one industry and community at a time and I’m loving it. It excites me and ignites my drive to keep fostering it in myself and the world around me.
So, in the name of supporting the global mindful movement, let’s look at some simple ways to cultivate more of it in our everyday lives. Well keep it to a ‘Top 4’ to accommodate all attention spans.
Breathing Exercises- The Sanskrit or yoga word for this is pranayama. There are a ton of videos on Youtube, like this one, with tutorials on breath work. If you want to go it alone, you can easily sit down and practice breathing in through your nose for a count of 3- holding your breath at the top- and then exhaling out 0f your mouth for a count of 3 – holding it at the bottom- and the repeating. You can increase your breath count as you sit for a few minutes.
Meditate- Our silent, sitting time can be just as simple as our deep breathing time- and basically consists of the same thing. We’re chilling on a pillow, chair or block, softening our eyes, tuning into our breath and committing to stillness. The only difference here is the added focus on observing our thoughts– the content of our mind. The work is to notice our thoughts and let them flow on, becoming more aware of the stories that are on repeat. With time, we can create more distance between each thought and cultivate more mindfulness.
Journal- Write it all out and then write some more. In your journal, on your laptop or a sticky note or piece of napkin- whatever you have- express yours
elf. I’ve built up a collection of about a dozen journals over my life and each contains a piece of my soul I could no longer carry or needed space from. Writing is transformative and safe. It’s another platform for creating clarity around our thoughts and actions, with new possibility for change. No censors, no apologies- all you and your truths.
Mantras – It’s really true that our words create our world, so why not make them more positive? Mantras are amazing. When we repeat a word or a series of words to ourselves that empower us, calm us down or keep us focused we actually help to rewire the neurological pathways in our brains that usually support our self-limiting beliefs. My personal mantra at the moment is ‘I Live My Truth.’ So, when I feel like I’m speaking or behaving in an inauthentic manner out of fear or discomfort, I repeat the mantra in my head, breathe and come back to myself. Check out this list of mantras to get started.
Breathe. Slow Down. We are here, right now and we’re right where we need to be.
Namaste. ❤